Prince Rupert traffic issues and Container truck bypass options discussed during Monday's Council session

Councillor Cunningham took noted of
a number of traffic related concerns
in the community.

Concerns over traffic in the city made for a number of themes during the course of Monday's City Council session, whether it be issues of speeding or distracted drivers in the city, or the travel of trucks through the city.

When it comes to the need to address the speeders and distracted drivers of the community, Councillor Barry Cunningham noted that the city should contact the local detachment of the RCMP to request a stepped up program of enforcement through the City.

He also raised the issue of container traffic travelling through the city, noting that with the province having advised the City that Second Avenue West will not be part of a paving improvement program this year, the condition of that road continues to suffer.

On that theme, Council may wish to provide an update for the public to advise as to the fate of that provincial road paving program and if indeed the province has firmly announced no plans to lay some asphalt this summer.

If so, Council may wish to have the region's MLA Jennifer Rice take up the issue at the Legislature on behalf of the riding.

The theme of container truck travel through the city also provided Mayor Lee Brain with an opportunity to update Council on some his recent discussions with Ministry of Transport officials on the prospect of a bypass road in the community.

The Mayor noted for Council that while discussions on the Wantage Road concept had taken place, there is also an alternative option that the Port is considering to route container traffic towards the Ridley Island area.

That's a concept that we noted on the blog last year as part of a review of a planned inter modal yard on RidleyIsland.

That proposal combined with the planning for the southbound expansion of the Container Terminal makes the prospect of a road from Fairview south to Ridley Island a more workable solution to the increased traffic issues in downtown Prince Rupert.

For his part, Mayor Brain observed that the next step when it comes to a bypass option, is to build some kind of a case for the province and to show the feasibility of any transportation plans, adding that whatever the solution is, it should be the right one for the entire region.

You can review the discussion on where the bypass road discussion may be heading from the City's Video Archive, it starts at the fifty nine minute mark.



For more items related to Monday's Council session see our Council Timeline here.

More background on City Council discussions can be found on our Council Discussion Archive page.

Port related notes, including their plans and concepts for moving containers through the region can be found from our Port Archive.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review